Fluid-pressure impulse system



Aug. 5 i924.

F. M. SLATER FLUID PRESSURE IMPULSE SYSTEM Filed July 20, 1921 5Sheds-Sheet l .liza

Aug. 5 1924. 1,503,922

F. M. SLATER FLUID PRESSURE IMPULSE SYSTEM J5 Filed July 20, 1921 5Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR FreoMlZz" H15 ATT EY Aug. 5 1924. 1,503,922

F. M. SLATER FLUID PRESSURE IMPULSE SYSTEM Filed July 2O 19?.) 5Sheets-Sheet 3 FLUID PRESSURE IMPULSE SYSTEM F'lled.Jul v 2O 1921 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 17546671@ ioifr H15 ATT EY lPatented Aug. 5,1924. y

UNITED STATES i 1,503,92 yPn'rizu'r ortica.

FRED M. SLATER, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLIHRAND COM-PANY, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FLUID-PRESSURE IMPULSE SYSTEM.

Application nled July 20, 1921. v Serial No. 488,227.

To all whomy t may concern: v Be it known that I FRED M. Sm'rnn, acitizen of the United tates,

Pennsylvania, have invented a certain Fluid-Pressure Impulse System, ofwhich the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings. 4

This invention relates to a iiuid pressure impulse system for operatingiiuid actuated machines, as for instance rock drills of the hammer type,although the p rinciples of the system may be utilized in any connectionin which they are foundsapplicable.

An ordinary pulsator system, in which the motive fluid, as compressedair, is actually pulsated back and forth without interruption,A iswasteful and moreoveris limited to a comparatively short length of hosefrom the pulsator to the rock drill or other machine,pbecause of theelasticity of the air and also due to the fact that a pulsation in onedirection must have time totravel its full` course, before the reversepulsation setsrin.

One of the objects of the present invention is to economize air byrepumping at least some of the same air at all times and using more orless of it over again through the system, only a part of the air beingutilized for blowing the drill hole through the drill steel in thepreferred form of the invention. Large receivers are not necessary in mysystem, which also reduces the cost of installation. p

Another object is -to generate impulses in the sup ly lines, as by meansof an interrupter, or operating the iuid actuated m'achine which may bea rock drill. Such an impulse system has the advantage that the How offiuid medium through the respective supply lines leading froml thesource or sources of pressure to the interrupter may be in the samedirection in a given pipe line at all times, and these supply lines canbe relatively lon so that the interrupter, which -is a small evice, maybe conveniently located remote from -the source, while the length onlyof the line from the interrupter to the rock drill is limited.

Furthermore, with a pulsator system a cumbersome pulsator forming thesource of supply is required for each and every tool, while'with myimpulse system, a plurality and a resident of Easton, NorthamptonCounty, State of Aof tools ma be operated from one source,

:mi a smal interrupter provided for each oo Y The invention isvillustrated in some of lts preferred forms in the accompanying drawings,in; which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view partly 7 in vertical sectionof a-iluid ressure impulse system in accordance wit the invention,Yshownl connected to operate a Huid actuated rockdrill of` illustrativepurposes.

Figure 2 is a detail dia ammatic view of a portion of Figure 1 s owingthe interrupter and thehammer pistonof the rock drill in aditferentposition,

Figure`3 is a detail longitudinal sectional elevation of the rock drillshowing the hammerpiston at the rearward end of its stroke,

Flgure 4 is a diagrammatic view similar to Figure l showing theinterrupter in a different location,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of Figure 4 showing theinterrupter and the hammer piston of a rock drill in a differentposition,

Figure 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional elevation of the rock drillshowing the piston hammer at the rearward end of its stroke,

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view'partly in sectional elevation of anlimpulse system showing a modified form of interrupter,

Figure 8 is a detail diagrammatic view of a portionof Figure showing thein terrupter and the hammer piston of a rock drill in a differentposition,

Figure 9 is -a detail sectional elevation of as rock drill showing thehammer piston at the rearward end of its stroke,

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are views similar to Figures 7, 8 and 9, showing amodified 4form of interrupter, and

Figure 13, is a diagrammatic view illustrating a plurality of rockdrills operated from a common source of supply by means of my impulsesystem.

Referring lto the drawings, A lrepresents a suitable source of. motiveHuid pressure, which may be a compressor of any desired type, in thisinstancev a two stage machine being illustrated, having a cylinder Bformed with the chambers C and D, in which the piston E, having the headF reciprocates.

the hammer type for.

llO

A low pressure receiver G, is connected by the discharge pipe H, havingthe valve J, to the first stage or low 'pressure end of the compressorrepresented y the cylinder chamber C. A high pressure receiver K, isconnected by the discharge pipe Il, having the valve O, to the secondstage or high pressure end o the compressor represented by th cylinderchamber D.

i inlet E of the low pressure end of the compressor, communicating withthe atcontrolled by the inlet valve icup tank., which is pumped upatmosphere. The inlet Il o'l the 1re end et the compressor is coue inletvalve S and communiM the pipe with the low i G so that the fluid underlow pressure from the receiver G is pumped to high pressure in thereceiver l.

Means are provided for unloading the compressor when the pressure in thelow pressure receiver G reaches a predetermined point, and for thispurpose, the plston Il in the small cylinder `V is subjected to receiverpressure through the passage W, and opposed by the spring X. A wedge Yon the stem of the piston cooperates w1th the stem of the valve Q sothat as the controlling piston U is forced outwardly in the smallcylinder V, the inlet valve Q of the low pressure stage of thecompressor will be forced and maintained open to unload the compressor.

Means are also provided for unloading the compressor when the pressurein the high pressure receiver K reaches a lpredetermined point, and forthis purpose a plston Z in the small cylinder a is subject to receiverpressure through the pipe b, opposed by the spring c, and a wedge d onthe stem of the piston Z cooperates with the stem of the inlet valve Sand forces and maintains said valve open to unload the compressor at apredetermined point.

The receivers G and K may be provided with the gauges e and f and aconnection g is preferably provided between the tanks, having` a safetyvalve z, of any suitable type adapted to be set at a pressure slightlyabove the maximum pressure of the high pressure receiver K in order toopen communication between the tanks at a predetermined point. Ablow-oli' valve j may also be provided on 'the low pressure receiver G.The automatic unloading devices, and safety valve h, which is preferablya reducingr valve, and the blow-oit' valve j, protect the apparatus andinsure continuous and steady operation.

In order lto generate impulses of motive fluid under high pressure foroperating a suitable machine or tool as for instance, a

rock drill la, located at a distance, I connect .ne low pressurereceiver Gf forms an automatic interrupter o inthe supply line betweenthe receivers G and K and the rock drill k.. A suitable form ofinterrupter o comprises a fluid actuated motor casing p' containingrotary gears q and q1, one ot which is connected to drive a two-wayvalve s controlling the ports t, u andr e, in such manner that as thevalve s rotates continuously in one direction, the port n is alternatelyand intermittently placed in com-l munication with the ports t and u. Asupply pipe fw leads from the high pressure receiver K to the port t,through which mo* tive iiuid under high pressure is supplied, and areturn pipe w leads from the port 'a back to the low pressure receiverG, through which iuid under reduced pressure is returned to the lowpressure receiver. A combined supply and return pipe y connects the rockdrill k with the port u of the interrupter. through which motive tluidunder high pressure is supplied to the rock drill, while fluid underreduced pressure flows back from the rock drill through the pipe yin theother direction. Abranch pipe e from the supply pipe fw supplies motiveliuid to the inlet of the motor casing p for operating the rotary gearsg and 7 and the exhaust from the motor is connected to the return pipeby the short pipe 2.

The rock drill selected for purposes of illustration, comprises acylinder casing 3 having a front head land a rotating chuck 5 into whichthe shank 6 of the drill steel 7 extends in' position to receive theblows of impact of the reciprocating hammer piston 8. The piston isprovided with a forwardly extending iuted shank 9, asin the usualconstruction, which is slidable within but non-rotatable relatively tothe chuck 5. A. rotation rifle bar 10 extends rearwardly from the pistonhead 11 and any suitable means within the back head 12 of the machineare provided cooperating with the rotation riie bar 10 for causingrotation and imparting rotation tothe drill steel. The back-head isprovided with the usual liandle 13, and the pipe y has a controlling`valve 14.

The drill cylinder 3 has a rearwardly' located cylinder port 4a to whichthe pipe y is connected, and a passage 15, controlled by the valve 16,connects the rearward portion of the cylinder 3 with the forward portionand also communicates with a volume chamber 17 in the forward end ofvthe cylinder. The valve 16 may have any suitable atomes which is a highspeed corresponding to onehalf the number of blows re uircd to be struckper unit of time by the ammer p1ston 8. In each revolution of theinterrupter valve s, when the valve is in the position indicated inFigure 1, motive fluid under high pressure passes from the high pressurereceiver K through the supply pipe w, through the interrupt/er valvecasin and out through the pipe y, to the rock dri l, actuating thehammer piston 8 on its forward stroke to the position indicatedin Figure2. As the piston head 11 uncovers passage 15, as indicated in Figure1',V` a portion of the motive fluid flows through the passage 15 to theforward end of the cylinder .into the volume chamber 17, in which the`fluid is trapped as the valve 16 closes, due to the pressure behind thevalve.

With the parts in the position indicated in Figure 2, the interruptervalve s in its revolution has interrlpted the flow'from the highpressure tank through the supply pipe w and has placed the pipe y fromthe rock drill in communication with the return ipe leading to the lowpressure receiver so that the motive fluid under reduced pressure behindthe rock drill piston head 11 flows back to the low pressure receiverand the trapped and expanded air in the volume chamber 17 of the rockdrill actuates the hammer piston 8 on its return stroke to the positionindicated in Figure 3, at which point the cycle is repeated in therotation of the interrupter valve s. With the piston 8 at the end of itsrearward travel, as in Figure 3, motive fluid in the volume chamber 17and in front of the piston passes through the s ace 18 and through theflutes ot' the flute piston extension l) to the hollow drill steel 7 forblowing out the hole. This portion of the air used for blowing is lost,but that portion of the air which passes back through the pipe jz/ andpipe a; to the-low pressure rece1ver G, is saved and repumped by thecompressor to higher pressure in the high pressure receiver K, and usedover again.

In the modification shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the operation of thesystem is precisely the same as that indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3,except that the interrupter valve s is connected to be driven by meansof the pinion 19 directly from the compressor A as by means of the gear20 operatively connected to the driving shaft 21 of the compressor. Agear casing 22 covers and protects the gear 20 and pinion 19, but inother respects the piping and connections are the same as thoseindicated in the previous figures. In some instances, it may bepreferred to drive the interrupter directly from the compressor insteadof by means of a se arate motor.

n Figures 7, 8 and 9, the same system is illustrated with a modifiedform of automatic interrupter, comprising a main fluid actuated valve 23having the central head 24rconnected to the heads 25 and 26 by thc stemsor reduced portions 27 and 28. 'llie main valve 23 reciprocates in thevalve chamber 29 and is controlled by an auxiliary valve 30 having thehead 31 and hollow stem 32 provided with the ports 33. The valve 30reciprocates in the valve chamber 34e.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, fluidunder high pressure from the high pressure receiver K, passes throughthe supply pipe w to the port t', controlled by the main valve 23, andthence through the port o to the pipe y, and to the roc-k drill75,'wlien the main valve 23 is in the position indicated in Figure 7. Inthe reverse position of the valve, indicated in Figure 8, the motiveluid flows from the pipe y through the ports 'v' and u which are incommunication, and thence through the return pipe m back to the lowpressure receiver G.

In the position of the parts indicated in Figure 7, high pressure fluidadmitted to the auxiliary valve chamber 34 through the port 35 againstthe' valve head 31, has actuated the auxiliary valve backwardly, thusadmitting high ressure fluid through the passage 36 and t rough theauxiliary valve stem- 32 and port 33, to the passage 37 leading to theend face of the main valve head 26, which moves the main valve 23 to theposition indicated in Figure 8. A leak port 38 prevents pressure frombuilding up against the end face of the main valve head 25. A similarleak port 39, produces a similar function for the valve head 26, and aleak port 40 affords communication with the atmosphere beneath the head31 of the auxiliary Valve 30. `With the main valve 23 in the positionindicated in Figure 8. the port 35 over the auxiliary valve 30 is openedto the lower pressure the high pressure 'fluid beneath the valve throughpassage 36 moves the auxiliary valve to the position shown in Figure 8,so that the pressure fluid from the passage 36 is admitted through theauxiliary valve stem 32 and port 33 to the passage 41 leading to the endface of the main valve head 25 which throws the valve in the oppositedirection to the position indicated in Figure 7. The cycle of operationsis repeated continuously and motive fluid under high pressure issupplied to the rock drill for operating purposes, while a portion ofthe operating fluid under reduced pressure is intermittently returned tothe low pressure receiver G and used over again'.

The system illustrated in Figures 10, 11 and 12, is similar to thatheretofore illustrated, but with another modified form of side of thesystem, and

trols the ports ythrough the ports e interrupter valve 42, having theheads 43 and '44 -connected by the stem 45, and recl rocating Within themain chamber 46. T e main valve 42 is controlled by the `auxiliary valve47, having the head 48, and a hollow stem 49 provided with the ports 50.flhe auxiliary valve reciprocates in the auxiliary valve chamber 5l. Themain valve 42 cont', o and u. With the vvalve 42 in the positionindicated in Figure 10, high pressure motive fluid passes from the highpressure receiver l( through the supply pipe w and the ports t and c',which are in communication, to the pipe y, and thence to the rock drilllp; `With the main valve42 in the position indicated in Figure 11, themotive fluid under reduced pressure returns from the pipe y and u andthe return pi e w, to the low pressure receiver G.

li/[otive fluid supplied through the passage 52 and port 53, with theparts in the position indicated in Figure 10, forces the auxiliary valve47 in a direction to admit motive fluid through the passage 54, andthrough the stem 49 of the auxiliary valve, and a port 50 to the passage55 leading to the end surface of the valve head 44, Wliich causes thevalve to move over to the position indicated in Figure l1. The port 56communicating with the port 53 is then opened to the lower pressure sideof the system and the high pressure from the passage 54 has thrown theauxiliary valve 47 into a position to admit motive fluid through thehollow valve stem 49 and a port 50 into the passage 57, leading to theend face of the main valve head 43, so thatthe main valve is thrown tothe position indicated in Figure 10 and the cycle repeated because livepressure through passage 52 and port 53 causes return movement of theauxiliary valve 47 to the position indicated in Figure 10. Leak ports58, 59 and 60 are provided for the respective pressure surfaces of the`main and auxiliary valvesias indicated.

In Figure 13, the system is diagrammatically illustrated in connectionwith a plurality of rock drill la, 1 and lo", all operated from a commonsource of supply, indicated by the low and high pressure receivers G andK. Y

One rock drill is connected to a rotary interrupter o, another rockdrill k is connected to an interrupter o having a main valve 23 and anauxiliary valve 30 of the type illustrated in Figure 7, While anotherrock drill 7a2 is connected to an interrupter 02 having a main valve 42and an'auxiliary valve 47 of the type illustrated in Figure 10. The mainsupply pipe w and the main return pipe of the system are connected tothe various interrupters which are connected to the rock drills 7s, kand k2. It is to be understood that a compressor is con- Lacasse nectedto the receivers G and K and the main supply and return pipes lwv and ware shown broken at the points and 8O to indicate that the interruptersmay be located at any desired practical distance remote from the sourceof supply.

I claim: p

1. In a fluid pressure impulse system for operating a fluid actuatedmachine, the combmation of a high pressure source of supply ofmotiveflu1d pressure, and a low pressure receiver, a fluid actuated machineadapted to be actuated by motive fluid from the high pressure source, aninterrupter hav: ing separate supply and return connections with saidhigh pressure source of supply and the low pressure receiverrespectively, a single connection from. said interrupter to the saidmachine, through which high pressure motive Huid passes to the machinein one direction, and automatic means for causing the motive fluid underreduced pressure from said machine to pass in the opposite directionthrough said singlecon- -nection back to the interrupter and thence backto the said low pressure receiver.

2. In a fluid pressure impulse system for operating a fluid actuatedmachine, the combination of a high `pressure source of supply of motivefluid pressure and a low pressure receiver, a fluid actuated machineadapted to be actuated by motive fluid from the high pressure source, afluid actuated interrupter havin separate supply and return connectionswiti said high pressure source of supply and the low pressure receiverrespectively, a single connection from said interrupter to the saidmachine, through which high pressure motive fluid passes to the machinein one direction, and through which the motive fluid from the saidmachine under reduced pressure passes under control of the interrupterin the opposite direction back to the interrupter and thence back tothesaid low pressure receiver.

3. ln a fluid pressure impulse system for operating a fluid actuatedmachine, the combination of a high pressure source of supply of motiveduid pressure and a low pressure receiver, a fluid actuated machineadapted to be actuated by motive fluid from the high pressure source, aninterrupter, a high pressure supply line connecting the high pressuresource to the interrupter, a low pressure return line connecting theinterrupter to the said low pressure receiver, and a common supply andreturn line connecting the interrupter to thc said fluid actuatedmachine, and ports and passages whereby the interrupter alternatelyconnects the common supply and return line with the high pressure sourceand the said low pressure receiver respectively.

, 4. In a fluid pressure impulse system for operating a fluid actuatedmachine, the comllt bination of hi h and low preure receivers of motiveiui pressure, an interrupterl located at a point remote from the saidreceivers, separate connections between said" receivers and theinterrupter, 'a iiuid actuated machine adapted to be actuated by motiveiuid from the high pressure receiver,

a single connection between thebinterrupte-rand the said machine, andports and passages whereby the interrupter alternatelyV connects thesaid single connection with the high and low pressure receiversrespectively.

5. In a fluid pressure impulse system for operating a` fluid actuatedmachine, the combination of high and low pressure receivers for motivefluld pressure, a fluid actuated rock drill of the hammer ty e adaptedto be actuated by motive fluid rom the high pressure recelver, `an einterrupter having separate supply and returnconnections with said highand low pressure receivers respectively, and a single connection fromsaid interrupter tothe said rock drill, through which high pressuremotive iuid passes to the rock drill for operatin the hammer piston,forwardly, and throng which single connection the motive fluid underreduced pressure from behind the hammer piston is caused by theinterrupter to pass back in the opposite direction to the interrupterand thence to the'low pressure receiver. v

6. In a fluid pressure impulse system for operating a fluid actuatedmachine, the'com- 'blnation of high and low pressure receivers.formotive fluid pressure, a. fluid actuated rock drill of the hammer tye adapted to be actuated by motive fluid rom the high.

pressure receiver and having a cylinder a-nd reciprocating hammerpiston, a cylinderY port at the rear end of the cylinder, a valvecontrolled passage leading from. [the rear tothefront end of thecylinder, and communicating with a reservoir chamber alt the front endof the cylinder, an interrupter having separate supply and returnconnections with said high and low pressure receivers respectively,`aconnection from said interrupter tothe said rear cylinder port of therock drill, through which high pressure motive fluid passes to the 'rockdrill for operating the hammer forwardly, `and through which the motiveiuidunder revbination of hih and low pressure receivers of motive fluipressure, an interrupter located at a p oint remote' from the saidreceivers and adapted tov be automatically acpressure impulse system forl.

tuated by fluid pressure from the'said'high pressure receiver,`separate-.connections between said receivers and the interrupter, a iuid'actuated machine adapted tobe supplied with motive Huid :from the highpressure receiver, and a sin le connection between the interrupter anthe said machine, through which high pressure motive fluid passes to themachine in one direction, and

through which motive fluid from said mal chine under reduced'pressurepasses under control of the interrupter in the opposite direction backtofthe interrupter and thence y back *to said low pressure receiver.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. .A

. FRED M. SLATER.

